Thai (Thai Buffalo Plough) — a Naturally Curved Beam, Handle, Lac-Fixed Share on the Sole, Neck Yoke and Small Yoke, Drawn by One Buffalo

"Before fitting the share to the sole, lac is boiled until liquid and the hot lac is spread on the wood of the sole, which is then pressed to the iron share; when the lac cools, share and sole are held fast together." (Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, author สนม ครุฑเมือง (Sanom Khrutmueang), CC BY 4.0)

Choose a branch of mai daeng (Xylia), pradu (Pterocarpus) or ching chan (Dalbergia) that already curves like a plough beam. Hew it smaller with an axe and smooth it with a rasp and sandpaper. Carve the tip as a lotus bud and drill a hole in it for the leather cord to the small yoke.

Tenon the handle (hang yam) into the beam and drive a wedge to fix it tight; tenon the handle's foot into the sole (hua mu); hew the handle's upper end smaller and bend it into a grip. The sole rests on the ground, shaped like a pig's head; hew its front into a tenon for the share. Boil lac until liquid, spread it hot on the sole and press on the iron share; let the lac cool. Beware of burns from hot lac.

Make the neck yoke (khom) from curved wood laid over the buffalo's neck, with khao cords tied at both ends to the ends of the small yoke. The small yoke (aek noi) is a short piece about 50 cm long, with a hole in the middle for a leather or rattan cord and deep grooves cut round both ends to tie the khao cords.

Photos of real ploughing with buffalo (Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, author สนม ครุฑเมือง (Sanom Khrutmueang), CC BY 4.0).

One buffalo draws the plough to turn the soil; buffalo are strong and unafraid of rain. Then a harrow or clod roller breaks the ploughed soil finer before planting. Oxen are usually used in pairs to draw the harrow and roller.

Ploughing with buffalo and oxen is now rarely seen, replaced by two-wheel walking tractors; most old ploughs have ended up as firewood. Beware of hot lac, the axe, and working close to the buffalo. Source: Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, Traditional Objects of Everyday Use database, "ไถ" (khan thai wua), author สนม ครุฑเมือง (Sanom Khrutmueang) (CC BY 4.0 licence). **Limits** The source gives no size for the beam, handle, sole or share, and there is no listing for lac, the iron share or leather cord, so they are named in the text.